I WALKED OUT of my apartment this morning and got hit by a big old blast of low-30's temps. Hello, winter. Not much for subtlety, eh?

Two months from now, this weather is going to feel like a heatwave. But for now, it's coooooold. So after I ran back inside squealing (this may or may not have actually happened), I decided I wanted an outfit that would be warm with a side of wild. Because nothing makes me go a little crazy more than a blast of cold air.

FOR THE WARMTH PART, I turned to UNIQLO's amazing Wool Blend Parka. My NYC friend (and soon-to-be-featured creative inspiration) Ezequiel Consoli turned me onto this jacket when he showed up to our shoot wearing the green version. I may have literally dragged him into UNIQLO Soho with me so I could pick up my own. Cuz I'm savage.

The oversized hood was what caught my eye. Just look at the frame it creates from the neck up! The hood turns an otherwise normal parka into a statement piece, and it's one of those little details we've talked about that sets this garment apart from the others. Oh, and it's warm af. It does run pretty big, though, so if you pick one up, consider dropping one size down from your usual (I'm usually a medium, but this is a small).

NOW LET'S GET a little wild. While I was marching Ezequiel through UNIQLO Soho, I discovered another SPRZ NY collaboration, this time with the art of Keith Haring. If his name doesn't ring a bell, his art will. Keith created art that pushed boundaries. His visual explorations around the themes of sexuality and AIDS carried as much political weight as they did artistic merit. That's why I was so excited to see his work gracing this series of tee's and sweatshirts. This particular shirt was my favorite. But they're all amazing, and they remind us that Keith's work isn't done. It's our job to carry on his legacy and fight for our futures, no matter the opposition we face.

That leaves us with some finishing touches. The parka frames and tempers the shirt nicely, but because the shirt is so dominant, I decided to finish off the look with some black and white color chunking. The white beanie (also from UNIQLO) keeps my head warm and adds a pop of white on my head to echo the white in my jeans and shirt. It looks great without the hood, but it really creates a cool statement when I put my hood up. My black Vans compliment the black in my jacket and shirt. It's a two-tone look that's a fun as it is stylish, and it's a reminder that our clothes can make as much a statement about our style as they can about the causes we care most about.

Welcome to North & Kedzie. My name is Brian Gee, and I'm inviting you to join me on my journey towards making style & culture approachable and accessible at home in Chicago and wherever else my travels may take me.